Speaker: Mike NobisSunday School Teacher, Former Elder at Madison Park Christian Church. Mike is President of JK Creative Printers & Mailing in Quincy, IL. He is married to Pam and has three children, Tom, Tyler and Jennifer. Mike has three grandchildren: Ryne, Ivy and Alicia.

One of the facts about the Bible I think is credible is the Bible never flatters its heroes. All the men and women of Scripture had flaws and when the record of their lives and ministry were written by the Holy Spirit, He doesnít ignore, deny, or overlook the dark side.

What do you think it would be like if the Holy Spirit wrote chapters on your dark side for everyone to read? What do you think he would write about? Imagine what it would be like for us to study your life like we are doing with Davidís?

Think about this, no sin, except for the one done by Adam and Eve, ever received more press than the sin of David with Bathsheba. When we look at David and his life, we need to be careful not to overplay the mistake David made with Bathsheba. There are some out there that make David look like some sexual addict; a person with uncontrollable animal like drives. Thatís not true at all about David. We have to remember that David was called by God ďa man after Godís own heart.Ē God doesnít make mistakes with issues like that so we have to keep this event in perspective and not over play Davidís mistake.

Why are some sins looked upon as worse than others? What makes one personís sin really bad while your sins are okay and not so bad? What made Davidís sin seem to be extra bad? Davidís sin was intensified because of who he was and because of how he mishandled itÖbut it was just sin, an act of disobedience he later regretted with bitter tears. Now letís not push this sin aside and justify it or make it less that it really was, what he did was very wrong but his sin is no different than yours in how it affects our relationship with God. Sin however is different in how it affects relationships between man to man. We have to be careful when others around us fail and sin not to be quick with our judgments. There is a warning for us:

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you donít fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.

What is the warning here for us?

David was about 50 years old when his encounter took place with Bathsheba. He has been on the throne approximately 20 years. He was a very famous king and very well liked by Israel. He was a well established king who was a man of God, he was a great composer of psalms, he was a successful warrior and a great leader. He also was a man of passion as well as a man of compassion. In the chapters right before this event, David just took in Mephibosheth, Jonathanís only remaining son who was crippled and basically added him as a son in his family. David was a man of great grace.

David was not a wild rebel or a wicked man, however, he did fall into a period of sin, and that sin had devastating consequences for his family, his reign, and his nation. His sin caused many to suffer. We always have to remember this, no matter the size of the sin, SIN ALWAYS HAS CONSEQUENCES. You are never too young or old to fall into sin.

What are some of the excuses we use when we are caught in sin? What excuses are usually used when we act totally out of character in sin? David didnít fall suddenly, as we look into scripture; we see that he already had chinks forming in his spiritual armor.

2 Samuel 5:12 And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

This was a good thing. David knew where his success came from and he didnít forget to thank God for it. However, he did neglect areas in his private life that took a toll on his spirit.

2 Samuel 5:13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.

Before Israel entered into the Promised Land, God predicted that someday Israel would have a king. In fact God tells Israel a time would come when they would want a king like everyone else around them. God told them then not to make certain mistakes.

Deuteronomy 17:14-17 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, ďLet us set a king over us like all the nations around us,Ē be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite. The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, ďYou are not to go back that way again.Ē He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

There were three things the king was not to do:

He was not to multiply horses for himself or allow the people to return back to Egypt to multiply horses
He was not to multiply wives for himself
He must not greatly increase silver or gold for himself
What problems or temptations come about with these three things that would endanger a king or an individual?

David was faithful in the first and third; he failed in the second warning. There is a simple fact found here; the passion of sex is not satisfied in full with a harem of women. The fact is, it is increased. Uncontrolled passion for sex is addictive and to satisfy it requires more and more. One of the big lies in our society today is; if you just satisfy the drive, then it will abate. Listen to what our commercials on TV and the radio tries to convince you of; buy this product and life will be satisfied. Itís a lie, you will want more and more and they are ready to sell it to you.

David was breaking the law. Who in the kingdom was qualified to blow the whistle on David? David had a great track record up until now, who was going to tattle on the king? What was the harm in a few more wives compared to Davidís successes?

David is in a dangerous period of his life, he is at the peak of his success. Great success makes it hard for a man to be dependent on someone. In fact, good times cause man to become independent. Hard times require a man to be dependent on someone else. A person doesnít become proud when dependent on God. Not only is David vulnerable, he is totally unaccountable which is worse. When a person is accountable, he will then move to a position of indulgence.

David is in his 50ís, successful, proud, vulnerable, indulgent, living in his elegant palace, it is spring time, the rainy season is over and the weather is nice and warm. It is evening and the stars are just starting to come out just after the sunset.

2 Samuel 11:1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the kingís men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

Man, life is great; the army is successful even when the king isnít there to lead them. Another enemy was destroyed and an enemy fortification is besieged and about to fall. Chalk another victory up on the scoreboard. Up until this point, David is undefeated in battle. If David had been where he belonged, with his troops, the sin with Bathsheba never would have taken place.

Evaluate your sins; how many times when you sinned, you sinned because you were in a place you didnít belong? How many times when we sin, sin doesnít have to look for us, we take ourselves to sin so it can have its affect?

2 Samuel 11:2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,

The Bible is careful when it describes women. If they are beautiful, they were fabulous looking. There are a lot of beautiful women in the scriptures. But only 4 women in the Bible ever were described as very beautiful; Sarah, Rebekah, Bathsheba and Abishag. David had two of the four women.

At this point in scripture a lot happens. What is happening and what should have happened? Who is to blame for this?

Both are at fault here but scripture makes it very clear, David was the aggressor. He is the one who stopped, who stared, he lusted, he sought her, he lost control of his passion and he lay with her. However, she too was vulnerable. Her husband was out in battle so she would have been alone, maybe lonely. Even though David was the aggressor, she too enjoyed the encounter. Notice she came to him, she was not forced. Look how scripture writes records it.

2 Samuel 11:3-4 David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, ďIsnít this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?Ē Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.

Often times right before we sin, signs of warning come to us. Sometimes they come from our conscience while other times the warnings are right there in front of us. David received a warning that was very obvious given by one of his servants. In nice terms, the servant is telling David that she is a married woman. He forms it in a question probably realizing what David is thinking and trying to warn him not to go there.

Why doesnít scripture give us all the details of this affair? Was it only a one night stand? Did David fall in love with her and desire to meet with her additional times? Did she leave after the sexual event and then slip back home that night hoping not to be seen? How did David keep this event secret when his servants knew about it?

The Devil is very cleaver when he lays out for you his vast banquet of temptation for you to choose from. He only shows you the beauty, the ecstasy, the fun, the excitement of the desires he tempts in you. But he never tells the sinner the sorrow that follows the next day or the results of the consequences that is tagged with the sin. In Davidís case, Satan delivers a nice little message to him. You can almost see Satan laughing as the message is delivered.

At that moment when David received the message from Bathsheba, what do you think went through his mind? David had some decisions to make, what were his options?

One fact is true, when a person is in panic mode, he normally doesnít make good and wise decisions. This is where David is. David decided to try and cover up the mistake rather than come out and confess that he really messed up. The cover up would come back to haunt him every day of his remaining life and will lead to many sorrow filled days not only for his family but many families in his kingdom.

2 Samuel 11:6-13 So David sent this word to Joab: ďSend me Uriah the Hittite.Ē And Joab sent him to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, ďGo down to your house and wash your feet.Ē So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his masterís servants and did not go down to his house. When David was told, ďUriah did not go home,Ē he asked him, ďHavenít you just come from a distance? Why didnít you go home?Ē Uriah said to David, ďThe ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lordís men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!Ē Then David said to him, ďStay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.Ē So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. At Davidís invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his masterís servants; he did not go home.

There is nothing worse when you are trying to cover up a terrible sin than to run into a righteous man. What is ironic, this is exactly how David would have acted if he were in Uriahís place. Not only did David defile another manís wife, he defiled the wife of a righteous man, a loyal solider and an honorable man. This mistake not only gets David in trouble with Uriah, but this mistake also opens the door to a real problem with another guy, Joab.

Joab was Davidís long time commander of his army. He was very capable as a military leader but he also street smart. David was a little uneasy with this guy and the clout he carried. Joab was also popular and was well liked by the military. Joab was powerful in the sense he had the military behind him. Joab is smart, he is bright and quick but he is also suspicious and malicious. When David sends for Uriah for no apparent reason, Joab knows something is up. Joab will over time use Davidís mistake with Uriah to control David and cause David to make further mistakes in his reign all because Joab knew too much.

We will end with a very sad decision David makes with his problem with Uriah. What do you do with a righteous man if he wonít cooperate with you in your sinful mistake? David saw no other path; he had to do something with Uriah.

2 Samuel 11:14-15 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, ďPut Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.Ē

What is David asking Joab to do for him? If you are Joab, what has to be going through your mind as you read the letter delivered by the man who is suppose to die at your command?